‘Thanks to Apeejay Kharghar teachers, my daughter has developed confidence and excellent communication skills’

Ever since Avni Sahoo joined Apeejay Kharghar, her journey has been that of overall growth, says her mother Jasmin Das, who runs a handloom business. From being a restless child, unable to sit through a class, to becoming an all-rounder, Avni’s progress has been the fruit of teachers’ constant efforts, the mother says in an interview. Edited excerpts:

What made you consider Apeejay School, Kharghar, for your daughter?

Apeejay is a renowned school in Kharghar. I kept track of its impressive board results every year. Second, I did not want my child to go to a school where admissions were based on a lottery system but were merit-based. Apeejay was the only school in Kharghar that was choosing children based on their talent and calibre.

How has the school and its environment impacted Avni?

Avni has always liked to socialise. After playschool, she joined Apeejay Kharghar in nursery when she just turned four. She was the youngest in the class and was very fickle-minded. She was restless and was always looking for a way to escape the class. For Avni, the transition from playschool to nursery was a difficult one. After a point, she refused to go to school. Ultimately, when I approached the coordinator, she hand-held her so nicely that my daughter’s attitude changed completely in the next five days. She finally settled down and started enjoying the classes. I am extremely thankful to the coordinator and the class teacher for their help and support. Avni started improving from that point onwards.

Avni used to be afraid of the stage. With the encouragement from the teachers, she improved a lot by the time she reached kindergarten and now participates in all kinds of activities. She has also developed excellent communication skills and confidence. She is an all-rounder.

Avni likes painting. What are some of the other co-curricular activities she is interested in?

Avni loves to dance. She is learning Kathak and Western. In class 3, she won the first prize in dance in one of the competitions. She is also being trained in classical music. She likes to play the piano and draw. The school has given her enough opportunities in every sphere to showcase her talent. They provide every possible opportunity to nurture children’s skills.

What do you think of the school curriculum?

The curriculum is excellent; children do not feel any pressure. To be honest, during the exams I am not worried too much about Avni’s preparation because her teachers conduct revision classes 15-20 days prior to the exams where they cover all topics. Further, there are some like her class 3 science teacher who goes beyond the syllabus to share interesting educational information with the kids. The topics are taught with the help of live examples and experiments which attract children.

Apeejay focuses on inculcating human values in children. Have you seen it happening in the case of Avni?

Apeejay students showcase all the right values which set them apart. For example, when Avni was in nursery, I would see kindergarten students holding the hands of the tiny tots and taking them to class. Helping others, sharing, and contributing to society are some of the crucial values that students at Apeejay learn.